Saturday, June 30, 2007

Great. I am so happy. He isn't "back" or something, he's just there. Like he's always been.

Sachin became the first mortal to have scored 15,000 runs in ODI's having played 387 matches. He did that in style and India defeated SA at Belfast. After he did that, he had this to say:

"After playing for 18 years, I feel it's just one of those things."

Hats off to his modesty. This win might not be one of the most needed ones, but it was just as needed as any other one!

Today, I pity several of those unfortunate sport journalists who have taken liberty to criticize and comment adversely on his prowess. Just a few days ago, one Mr. Andrew McGlashan had to say the following about him even when he scored 99 off 143 balls in a losing cause against SA:

As is becoming an increasingly evident he didn't look entirely comfortable against the short deliveries, with Makhaya Ntini pounding the ball from his wide angle, and his timing didn't come easily. South Africa deserve credit for operating to clear plans - Ntini and Andre Nel were particularly impressive - but whereas Tendulkar of old would have tried to impose himself, here he seemed almost passive

Come on Andrew. You may be writing for cricket.org, but don't know enough about cricket. Another important conclusion to be drawn from this series of events is that "A tonne of data is not even worth an ounce of Truth".

Here is another - Sidarth Monga and S Rajesh (I don't even know who these two are) had to saythis and asked an illogical question like:

"That Tendulkar was not really comfortable was evident yesterday too. He had ended the first day with nine from 31 balls: surely he wasn't playing for stumps for the last 13 overs of the day?"

Have these guys even played at any recognized level of any game? Do these guys have mind of athletes? Hell no.

I don't even have to justify that these journalists have done more pain than gain to these great individual cricketers, and the game at large. Gone are the days when there used to level headed sport journalists.

I know these ruthless people will have their responses ready crediting themselves with this yet another relentless feat Sachin has achieved. This is the agony of great players. Please don't do this to athletes.

The most fitting reply of course was provided by Sachin's bat:

"It is their job to have opinions. When I hold a cricket bat in my hand it's a far tougher and bigger job. That is what I will concentrate on"